I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 67

“Sigh……”

Leaving the Hyrard mansion empty-handed, Theodore clicked his tongue.

“I just ended up helping them.”

He thought he was so clever, but they didn’t even consider his suggestion.

When Yurika kissed Johan, he inwardly seethed.

It was clear Yurika’s decision was impulsive, and Johan looked like he’d won the lottery.

“Well.”

Theodore muttered cynically, recalling Johan carefully holding Yurika with a blissful, desperate expression.

“How effective could that calming have been in that state?”

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t jealous.

No, honestly, he was so envious his blood was boiling.

“He looked completely out of it.”

Because he couldn’t forget the calming effect that squirrel had given him that one time, long ago, he was acting like this.

But he just needed to take her away.

Unless Yurika came to him willingly, he had no choice but to take her by force.

“Once she’s in the Imperial Palace, I’ll immediately stamp her with the Imperial Seal.”

Once the Imperial Seal is stamped within the Imperial Palace, the Divine Beast cannot leave.

The Imperial Palace being so large bothered him, but he still wanted to keep her contained within his territory.

‘I just need to make a sturdy cage and hide her deep inside my chambers.’

So that Johan Hyrard can’t covet her.

No, even if he goes mad and destroys everything to find the squirrel, he absolutely cannot take her out of the Imperial Palace.

‘And it would be ideal if he gets caught and killed for treason. After all, wizards can’t attack the Imperial Family.’

It was also the duty of the Imperial Family to punish rogue wizards.

No matter how he looked at it, kidnapping Yurika seemed like the best option.

It was while Theodore was reaffirming his decision that…

“Ah!”

Suddenly, the back of his head felt numb. Something had hit him.

“What is this…? Ah!”

Before he could even turn around, something hard struck the back of his head again.

It wasn’t painful enough to kill him, but it hurt quite a bit, so he grabbed his head, and something rolled to his feet.

“…An acorn?”

He frowned and turned around abruptly.

But there was no one on the street.

Only dense trees lined the road.

The escort next to him reported with a bewildered face.

“Th, that just… seems like an accident. There’s really no one there. It must have been blown by the wind….”

Just as Theodore was about to scold the escort for not being observant enough…

“Ah!”

This time, a large chestnut hit him squarely in the eye. A perfect shot.

It was so numb he couldn’t even open his eye properly.

“What on earth…!”

Of course, no one could know the full story of this incident.

So Theodore had no choice but to return to the palace with a blue bruise forming around one eye.

* * *

No sooner had Theodore left the mansion than the Hyrard mansion had to receive another guest.

It was Jayden.

“Johan, what am I going to do?”

I sighed deeply, looking utterly guilty.

“The Hyrard mansion is too busy today because of me…”

Meaning that three guests had been pouring into the quiet Hyrard mansion since morning: me, Theodore, and Jayden.

“It’s alright.”

Johan’s aide politely replied to my words.

“We are very grateful for your visit. We hope you will stay with us for a long, long time in the future.”

“Oh, for a long, long time?”

“Yes. Even for a lifetime.”

No, what is this…….

“It’s been a long time since the Duke has looked so relaxed. Ah, the workload in the garden has also decreased, so the servants have less work as well.”

I didn’t know exactly what he was talking about, but I had to greet Jayden, who had rushed over in a hurry.

“I’m sorry for coming without prior notice.”

Jayden was meeting the butler in front of the main gate and seemed at a loss.

“I was the one who was more excited than anyone else when I heard that Duke Johan Hyrard had barged into the Medest mansion without notice, but you never know what will happen.”

“Hmm, usually, you would send a letter, even on very short notice…”

“I brought this instead of a letter.”

The butler of the Hyrard mansion, who had a troubled expression, frowned and immediately accepted what Jayden handed over.

“What is this…?”

“It’s a small token of my appreciation for the Hyrard mansion.”

I knew very well how Jayden handled these kinds of situations.

Like a merchant, he pushed through with a large amount of capital and a small amount of sincerity.

As expected, the stern-looking butler bowed deeply and replied.

“Please come in.”

“Since there are family matters involved, I would like to speak with Yurika alone…”

So, he wanted to speak only with the guest in someone else’s house. [This is considered rude.]

There was no such custom anywhere. It was clearly a nuisance.

When the butler showed a slightly troubled face, Jayden took out something else from his coat.

“This is a small expression of apology.”

The butler bowed once again and replied.

“The Duke is in a very good mood right now. It will probably be possible.”

And Johan willingly gave up his seat because I wanted it.

“Johan, I’m really sorry about earlier.”

Of course, I was a little sorry that I couldn’t have a proper conversation about what happened earlier and was talking to someone else like this.

“You might have been upset, but it was an unavoidable situation…”

“Upset, Yurika? How could that be upsetting?”

“Well.”

I sighed and nodded.

“Honestly, you must have liked it. I knew you would like it.”

His magic power was fluctuating so much, so he must have liked being calmed down. Still, this was a bit different from being calmed down by the body of a Divine Beast.

“Still… maybe it was an unconsented kiss, but I hope you value your lips a little more.”

“I suppose so.”

Johan answered obediently and smiled.

“Do I seem so easy to you?”

“No, well, not easy, but, um.”

“You’re the one who made me this way…”

It was another mischievous remark.

“What can I do? You have to take responsibility.”

It was an embarrassing remark that was strangely difficult to retort. After all, I was the one who kissed him first.

He called himself an easy man, but he was actually the most difficult to deal with now.

Even though he looked like he was in a very good mood.

“I’ll talk to you later, Yurika.”

Johan said in a low voice, looking at me intently.

“We have plenty of time now, and the night is still young.”

I felt strangely constricted all over, but I couldn’t keep Jayden waiting any longer, so I just nodded slightly.

After that short conversation with Johan, I was once again facing Jayden alone in the drawing room.

As soon as Jayden saw me, he started fidgeting and rambling.

“Yurika, I understand that you’re very upset because of Lizzie. Of course, it’s understandable that you did some rather extreme things, such as knocking Lizzie down, hitting her, and cutting up and burying baby clothes…”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Jayden’s words.

“Excuse me? How is that just something that can happen, Uncle?”

“It can happen, yes. It can and should.”

In fact, I couldn’t tell Jayden everything.

Because Lizzie was clinging to him almost constantly.

Lizzie knew how to exploit Jayden’s guilt.

In a situation where Meriel was taking a lukewarm attitude and Sienna was openly hostile, Jayden was the only one she could rely on.

But Jayden couldn’t shake off Lizzie and kept looking at me anxiously.

“Lizzie didn’t seem to be around because His Highness the Crown Prince visited and the mansion was in disarray, so I came as quickly as I could.”

That explained why Jayden came to the Hyrard mansion so quickly without a letter.

I was thinking that things were going well as planned, but Jayden continued.

“If you’re uncomfortable at the Medest mansion, why don’t you come to Abert County with me instead?”

“Yes?”

“I’m suggesting you come and recuperate with my sister. Um, if the name is unpleasant, you can change it… Anyway, I don’t like you leaving us and being in this messed-up house.”

“Me, messed-up?”

“Yes. A rude person who barged into the Medest mansion without contacting them.”

Jayden, who had barged into the Hyrard mansion without contacting them, said with a glint in his eyes.

“If your father had seen this, he would have immediately challenged the Duke of Hyrard to a duel.”

“What did Johan do wrong!”

“I just don’t like men hitting on my daughter!”

I swallowed slightly at the word ‘daughter.’

No, does Jayden still think of me as his niece even though he believes Lizzie is the real Yurika…?

“Thank you, Uncle.”

I said in an emotional voice, grabbing Jayden’s hand.

“For saying that.”

“Kh, cough! No, it’s natural that we’re family…”